A panel of judges critique the coffee. Katie Carguilo, a barista at Counter Culture in New York City, became a barista eight years ago when she was studying anthropology at George Washington University in Washington DC. ~Photos by Julia Fairclough Barista competition comes to Somerville By Julia Fairclough While some people grab a cup of coffee in the morning to jump start their heart beat, others carefully pick the coffee bean they prefer, go out of their way to find a café that specializes in coffee, and then sip the beverage as if it were a fine glass of cognac. The latter group was really excited to attend the 2010 Northeast Regional Barista Competition (NERBC) at the Arts at the Armory building on Highland Avenue this past weekend, especially since this is the first time that such a coffee event has landed here on the East Coast. "It's great to see that the coffee culture is moving to Boston," said George Howell of George Howell Terroir Coffee in Acton, a host sponsor of the event. "The West coast has led the way for a long time, but what we see here this weekend is more contestants to this competition than any other." The weekend-long event included a judge's certification workshop and several rounds of tasting competitions. Thirty-seven baristas from throughout the New England region got up on stage and "performed"-a deft twist of the dosing spoon and flip of the steam nozzle-before the judges and a fascinated audience. The espresso taste evaluation, for example, was comprised of consistency of the cream, taste balance (harmonious balance of the sweet/acidic/bitter) and tactile balance (full bodied, round, smooth).

Each barista had 15 minutes to prepare and then another 15 to make the rounds of coffee.

The cappuccino must be visually correct (traditional or latte art), have consistency and persistency in its foam and possess a taste balance (served at an acceptable temperature, a harmonious balance of rich sweet milk/espresso). The barista evaluation was based upon presentation: professionalism, dedication and passion, as well as attention to details and having all the accessories available.

Howell said that the café culture is more sophisticated today, and people appreciate knowing where coffee was farmed. It's similar to wine connoisseurs knowing about different grape varietals.

"People today are more aware of the quality aspects of coffee," said Simon Yu, the owner of Simon's café on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. "People drink it for culinary reasons, like wine fans drinking their wine."

Yu's baristas competed in the event, and he has been attending such barista seminars across the United States. What is very exciting is to have an event held right here in Somerville, he said.

When Simon's opened seven years ago, the independent café was in direct competition with Starbucks, which were sprouting up all over the region. But an independent shop like Simon's is really geared toward quality, and that is part of the wave of this movement, Yu said.

The barista trade itself is more respected than ever; akin to the prestigious post as a professional bartender.

Alison Novak of Cambridge, a barista at Simon's, was warming up to compete in the event. She has been a barista for 12 years and at Simon's for the past two.

"I like the science and chemistry of coffee," Novak said. "Coffee is amazing. It's the second most used commodity in the world."

Novak added it was an exciting time to be in Boston, as more and more people begin to appreciate the café culture.

Jaime Van Schyndel, the owner of Barismo, a coffee roaster in Arlington, brought NERBC to the Northeast (Barismo has been hosting these events for years) because he wanted to give a sense of community to those in the business. He said he wanted to break down the antagonism that one often finds in a competitive business, such as coffee roasting.

Some baristas practice for hours for this event, Van Schyndel said.

"But this is not about whether you can win, but how can you be a better barista," he said. "Community is the buzz word this weekend."

Katie Carguilo, a barista at Counter Culture in New York City, became a barista eight years ago when she was studying anthropology at George Washington University in Washington DC. She worked at a place called Murky Coffee. Not only was it fun, but she grew to really love and appreciate good coffee.

Her boss encouraged her in 2004 to compete in the Southeast Barista Competition in Durham, SC, and Carguilo took second place. She met all sorts of people in the business, and her passion took off from there.

She moved from DC to New York City to take a job at Counter Culture, where she also is the customer relations representative performing the training for all new employees.

"Coffee is dynamic," she said. "It changes every year. Different roasts and blends come about and it's amazing to learn about them."

What about the skills needed to become a barista?

"The only skill that I know of is that you have to love coffee," Carguilo said. "That is pretty much it."